


Breathe Me

by Ithinkwehaveanemergency



Series: Pillars of Colonial Homes [12]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Liam Dunbar & Corey Bryant Friendship, M/M, Past Theo Raeken/Corey Bryant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-10
Updated: 2017-11-10
Packaged: 2019-01-31 11:02:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12680562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ithinkwehaveanemergency/pseuds/Ithinkwehaveanemergency
Summary: Liam gets no feedback from Theo when trying to discuss certain aspects of their sex life.  So, he finds the answers, or at least a clue to the answers, from a very unlikely, yet obvious, source.And maybe said source, and Liam, end up growing more than their object of discussion does.A bit darker(?) than the rest of the series, but it was inspired by Sia's legendary song, "Breathe Me" so it's understandable.





	Breathe Me

**Author's Note:**

> "Be my friend, hold me  
> Wrap me up, unfold me  
> I am small, I'm needy  
> Warm me up and breathe me"  
> \- Breathe Me, by Sia

"Mase, I'm not sure I should be coming to you with this, considering your impeccable streak of making situations worse than they already are, but I need a little advice..."

"Nope." Mason shook his head and shoved the last bite of his poptart into his mouth. He slammed the door to his locker and faced his best friend. "I'm never getting involved in Thiam issues again."

"Mase, c'mon." Liam begged as he followed along to the first period class they shared. "It's kind of embarrassing. I don't want to ask anyone else."

"Oh my god." Mason groaned, picking up his pace. "I'm definitely not getting involved in your sex life issues. Do you remember what happened last time? I refuse to put my foot in my mouth ever again."

"Mason." Liam grabbed the other boy's arm, effectively halting him right outside their classroom. He seized Mason's shoulders and shook him gently. "Who the hell else am I supposed to talk to? And don't you dare say Scott, because I will vomit on you."

"Jesus, you big baby." Mason shoved the werewolf's hands off of him before going to open the door. "I dunno. Ask Corey."

"Are you crazy?" Liam slid into onto the seat at the table he and Mason always sat at. "How awkward is that? Asking for advice about your boyfriend from a guy who has had unforgettable, even it was in a bad way, sex with your boyfriend. What if I go all 'arrrr' and crazy on him."

"You're ridiculous." Mason groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. "I trust you not to kill my boyfriend."

"How do you not get insecure about that stuff, Mason?" Liam frowned. "Like, no offense, but Theo is super ridiculously hot, and I can't believe you never get upset about the thought of them together."

"Of course I'm insecure, Li." Mason said, shock evident on his face. "Everyone is insecure about that kind of stuff. But you know what I'm not insecure about?"

Liam shook his head.

"The love and trust in our relationship." Mason smiled fondly, thinking of the were-chameleon. He looked at Liam with an eyebrow cocked in judgement. "And if you're secure about your relationship... you should probably just be able to go straight to Theo for advice. I'm sure it's something he would know best about."

Liam exhaled in frustration at how right Mason was, but he had tried that already, and had been shut down emphatically.

The teacher walked in, spouting instructions for the day's lesson, effectively ending the conversation.

*****

Liam sat alone on a picnic bench during his lunch hour, staring at his phone. He had started typing out several texts to his boyfriend, asking about his day or what he wants to do tomorrow night on his night off, but hadn't sent any of them. There was nothing wrong between them, and had parted with a happy kiss early that morning, but Liam couldn't shake what has been nagging at him for the past week.

"Can I sit?"

A voice broke Liam from his thoughts. He looked up to see Corey standing above him. When Liam nodded, the brunette took a seat opposite him.

"We never talked about it." Corey shrugged. "But I knew you weren't mad at me, so I never brought it up. Doesn't really matter, y'know? Feels like a different life. Everything before being with Mason was a different life for me."

"I know." Liam nodded. "And it didn't matter, you're right. I haven't felt any different about you since finding out."

"K." Corey nodded. "You can talk to me if you want. About him, I mean. I know he's different now. I think I know better than anyone, actually, how completely gone that person I knew is."

Liam smiled weakly. He knew that the pack had started to accept Theo in, but still knowing that Corey, of all people, held no qualms with his boyfriend really felt comforting to hear sometimes.

"Is this about how he won't..." Corey paused, seeming unsure how directly he wanted to stab at whatever open wound Liam was clearly nursing. "I'm kind of guessing that Theo thinks that it's best if you stick to what you already know in the bedroom, right?"

"How'd you know?" Liam's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I didn't." Corey looked down at his hands shyly. He looked up and his eyes were glazed over a little. "I kind of just thought this might happen when you guys started having sex?"

"What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense." Liam frowned, reaching out to out a hand on top of Corey's, urging him to talk. "What would make you think Theo wouldn't want that with me? Is it because he thinks I don't want to feel gay? I've had his dick in my mouth. That's proof enough I'm all in on the sex with guys train."

Corey doesn't say anything, just bites his lip nervously, so Liam goes on.

"Does he not enjoy it doing it? He won't answer me when I ask that. He just says it's best if we stick to what we've been doing, and changes the subject. I feel like I did something."

"No. So, It's kind of, maybe, my fault?" Corey smiled sadly before running a hand through his hair. "I mean, not that I like... ugh."

Liam waited patiently, sensing the frustration rolling off his packmate.

"So, I can't imagine he told you all the awful, abusive things I said to him when we were together." Corey sighed. "Because it's Theo, and he thinks the deserved them. Yeah, and maybe he did, but they were still awful. Please don't tell Mason what I'm going to tell you."

"You don't have to..." Liam choked out, despite his curiosity, seeing how broken the conversation was making his friend.

"No, I mean, I won't go into too much detail, but even though it seems like I'm betraying Theo a little, there was something that I think I should tell you, because it might make you understand."

"Okay." Liam nodded for him to continue.

"So, the first couple times we had sex, I topped, but he kind of did all the work, y'know." Corey looked at Liam tentatively, making sure the werewolf wasn't showing signs of rage at the thought of his boyfriend with someone else. "The last time we were together, we weren't as angry with each other, and I think maybe Theo had accepted we were going to keep doing the hatesex thing. Mostly I was just sad and alone, but I still hated him, so I kind of lost it when he asked if I wanted to try it the other way."

Corey searched the tempermental teen's face before going on. Liam didn't look angry at all, in fact he looked like he wanted to comfort Corey, the suspicion confirmed when he felt Liam squeeze his hand slightly.

"I can't exactly say he didn't enjoy that time, since he was pretty masochistic, but I do know that I said some rough things while we were having sex... about how he didn't deserve anything more than what he was getting, and that he shouldn't bother trying, because it was the only way he was ever going to make anyone feel good."

Corey spat the words out in a hiss, looking like he was disgusted with himself. He shook his head before continuing.

"I remember telling him right after, 'No one will ever want something as evil and disgusting as you to be inside them.' And that was the last time we were together. The last words I really said to him before he went... away." Corey sucked in a harsh breath. "And I know for a fact that Theo has still never, ever actually been with someone like that."

Corey looked up to meet Liam's gaze, his own eyes filled with fear.

"Corey." Liam spoke calmly, eyes wide. "You are the best, most caring person that I have ever met. You are not a bad person for what you said in your time of grief."

"But-" Corey frowned.

"I'm sorry that you had to tell me that. I'm glad you did, mostly because he never would have." Liam interrupted his friend, reaching out to take his other hand as well, squeezing both of them assuringly. "But also so that someone who knows what happened can tell you that you are a good person, no matter what hurtful things you said to, frankly, a bad, bad person, when you were going through living hell. Just please know that this isn't your fault. I will talk to him. Everything will be fine."

Liam nodded at Corey, until the were-chameleon smiled sadly and did the same.

"Theo is still on his way to becoming the person he wants to be." Liam laughed humorlessly. "It's not a short road to redemption just because we fell in love. We both still have a lot of work to do until this is easy. Or at least as easy as being supernatural creatures in a same-sex relationship can possibly be."

Corey laughed wetly at that, finally relaxing a bit. Liam let go of his hands and scrubbed them through his hair with a sigh.

"Gosh." Corey sighed, slapping his hands on the table to break them out of their emotional bubble. "Why do I feel like I came out here to help you, and you helped me instead?"

"I dunno." Liam chuckled. "I can't believe how much it didn't phase me to hear you talk about fucking my boyfriend."

Corey barked out a loud laugh.

"But that was definitely helpful for me too, Corey. Thank you, really, I don't know if he ever would've opened up to me about that." Liam said, standing up from the bench.

Corey stood as well and threw his arms around the beta werewolf, who laughed and patted his back.

"It's not just Mason who gave me this new life, you know?" Corey mumbled into Liam's neck. "I'm grateful for all of you."

Liam's smile widened. He gave in and hugged the boy tighter.

"Yeah, man." Liam nodded. "I know."

*****

Liam woke to the sound of a door shutting. He propped his head up to find a freshly showered, shirtless Theo making his way toward him.

"Hey, bub." Theo smiled at his boyfriend, leaning down for a kiss before he reached down under beside table to plug his phone charger in. "Didn't mean to wake you up. You were out cold when I came in from work."

Liam blinked, still adjusting to the darkness. He had crashed in Theo's room after dinner, emotionally and physically drained from a long day of worrying, talking with Corey, then lacrosse practice.

"Exhausting day." Liam yawned, cuddling back into the bed.

Theo laughed as he thumbed through his phone, most likely setting an alarm.

"Come hold me." Liam whined, burying his face in the pillows. Seconds later the bed dipped and warm, thick arms were wrapped around him, fulfilling his request. He hummed happily. "Yay."

"Since, you're awake..." Theo kissed the shell of Liam's ear gently, before biting it seductively. "You wanna fuck me?"

"Sorry, Theo." Liam yawned again. "I'm so tired. I really just want you to hold me. You make me feel so safe when you're on top of me like this. Loved."

"Of course, bub." Theo smiled. He kissed the skin on the back of his boyfriend's neck reverently. "Anything for you."

Liam stayed there, enjoying the embrace. He knew he could say something about the day. He could call his boyfriend out on what he had learned, and try to mend some of the chimera's heart by force, and it would work. Theo would listen and trust him and believe him when he said that this is real. This is how love should be. Learning and growing and figuring things out together. That they can both share everything... but he didn't.

Liam knew that Theo meant it when he said 'anything.'

But he didn't owe Liam anything inside this new relationship.  If they hoped to get anywhere, Theo had to start believing that, if he was ever going to be truly happy.

Maybe with a little time, Theo would be willing to crack open this one, deep-seeded insecurity on his own. Maybe he'd learn to face his fears, and more importantly, want Liam to fight them alongside him.

Liam wasn't in a hurry. They had time.

"You make me feel good, Theo." Liam whispered, minutes later, as the heartbeat behind his own began to slow. "Everything you do. Every time, every way, every where you touch me. You make me feel so good."

Liam was almost convinced that his boyfriend was asleep, when the arms around him suddenly tightened, and Theo took a deeper breath, inhaling Liam's scent, and exhaling into the fabric of his shirt.

He felt a kiss on the back of his spine, and the arms around him relaxed again.

Liam fell asleep with a smile on his face.


End file.
